114 Bicycles for Catechists in a Rural Diocese in Zambia

Almost everywhere in Africa, catechists play a vital role in helping priests fulfill their ministry, providing invaluable pastoral support. Thanks to ACN supporters, they are able to continue their work in Zambia. In many geographically large parishes with numerous and far-flung villages, catechists are often the primary ones who actually instruct Catholics in the faith, prepare them for reception of the sacraments and gather and lead them in prayer.

This is the case in the Diocese of Mpika in northeast Zambia. Covering an area of 33,600 square miles — larger than South Carolina– it has only 18 parishes. The distances that need to be traveled are large, and this travel is made more difficult in rural areas with very poor roads, leaving many places isolated and difficult to access.

Since the work of the catechists is so important for the local Church, to assist them, Bishop Edwin Mulandu asked for our help so that he could purchase 114 bicycles for his diocesan catechists; in this way they will be able to more quicky and easily reach the people.

Thanks to the generosity of faithful such as you, we were able to provide the $26,400 required to enable these catechists, who “stand on the very front line,” to “help their priests to mobilize the people and revive their flagging pastoral zeal,” as the bishop puts it. More than half of these catechists work freely as unpaid volunteers, and the bicycles have made their work much more effective and efficient, so they can spend less time traveling and more time teaching and being with the faithful.

There is great rejoicing among them now that they have received the bicycles, and we now wish to pass on their thanks to everyone who contributed.

“We are sincerely grateful for this gesture of love and solidarity in this our one mission of Jesus Christ,” Bishop Mulandu concluded. “In acquiring these bicycles, the catechists have been motivated to continue doing what they know best, namely dedicating their lives to spreading the Gospel in a remote and difficult part of Zambia.”

Aid to the Church in Need commits to invest your funds where they will have the greatest impact for the Church we serve. Funds donated to Aid to the Church in Need’s projects will be used towards the greatest need in our programs to help keep the Faith alive.

Code: 159-07-29